Parliament has unanimously approved the 2019 Budget Estimates of GH¢136 million for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and its agencies.
Report on the 2019 Budget Estimates was presented at the Plenary by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Ben Abedallah Banda.
Mr. Banda stated that the total allocation comprises an amount of GH¢104,655,796.09, expected to be paid by the Government of Ghana (GoG) and an amount of GH¢31,327,918, expected to be covered by Internally Generated Fund (IGF).
On Government of Ghana disbursements under the Ministry, the Office of the Attorney General has been allotted GH¢48,840,718 to cover compensation of employees, goods and services, and capital expenditure while the Registrar-General’s Department has been allotted GH¢5,946,683 on its expenses.
The Copyrights Office has been allotted ¢1,284,871 for its expenses while the Law Reform Commission has been allotted GH¢1,342,595 to cover its expenditure on compensation, goods and services, and capital expenditure.
The Council for Law Reporting on the other hand, has been allotted a total amount of GH¢3,719,783 on compensation of employees, capital expenditure, and goods and services.
Also, the Legal Aid Commission has been allotted GH¢9,208,694 to cater for its expenditure while the General Legal Council has been given GH¢4,602,849 to cover its expenditure.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office under the Ministry has also been allotted GH¢21,569,300 million for its expenses.
Expenditure from Internally Generated Fund for 2019
Under the Ministry, expenditure from Internally Generated Funds (IGF) for the Registrar-General’s Department on goods and services, as well as capital expenditure is expected to cover GH¢16,000,344.
The Copyrights Office expenditure from its Internally Generated Fund on goods and services, and capital expenditure will also amount to GH¢1,602,874.
The Council for Law Reporting’s expenditure from its IGF is budgeted on only goods and services, which cover an amount of GH¢495,000.
The General Legal Council’s expenditure from the IGF is expected to cover an amount of GH¢13,229,700 on compensation of employees, goods and services, and capital expenditure.
2018 budget analysis and releases of funds as at October, 2018
For the 2018 financial year, the Ministry and its Agencies were approved a sum of GH¢110,357,163.
Out of the total amount, only GH¢70,945,308.62 had been released to the Ministry and its Departments and Agencies as at October 2018.
Under the Ministry of Justice, an amount of GH¢9,713,237 was approved in 2018 but only GH¢3,235,651.91 was released by the Finance Ministry.
The Office of the Attorney General was approved of GH¢41,332,413 and only GH¢20,881,844.67 was released to the AGs Department.
The Registrars-General’s Department was allotted a sum of GH¢14,506,553 and GH¢11,033,909.63 was released to finance the Department.
On the other hand, the Copyright Office was allotted at total amount of GH¢2,680,217 and only GH¢1,241,908.55 was released to the office for its operations.
The Law Reform Commission was approved of GH¢2,555,236, to oversee its operation and only GH¢1,066,840.73 was released by the Finance Ministry.
Council for Law Reporting was approved of GH¢3,422,091, to finance its operations and only GH¢1,629,629.85 was released to the Council.
The Legal Aid Scheme was allotted a total amount of GH¢7,195,288 and an amount of GH¢8,420,207.79 was released. This is therefore, the only agency that had an excess of approved budget.
The General Legal Council on the other hand, was approved of GH¢9,697,335 and only GH¢7,905,007.91 was released.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) was allotted an amount of GH¢19,254,975, to finance its operations and an amount of GH¢15,530,307.58 was released.
Minority’s reaction
The Ranking Member on Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Mr. Inusah Fusein, in supporting the motion, stated that the 2018 budget for the Ministry made little allocation for capital expenditure.
He indicated that inadequate capital expenditure to the Ministry for its personal emoluments and other logistics is worrying, and that the Ministry finds difficulty in discharging its duties.
He suggested that the Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah, must release the Ministry’s budget on capital expenditure to intensify effective work.
Deputy Minister for Finance’s submission
Debating the motion on the floor of Parliament, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Member of Parliament for Atiwa West, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, averred that the impression created about the Finance Ministry of being reluctant in disbursement of funds is not properly situated.
He stated that when projections are made for the various sector ministries, much efforts are made to meet the budget estimates of the various Ministries.
“Projections are made for the year and estimates are considered. However, due to increase in expenditures, projected funds and budget estimates in reality, are not able to be released by the Ministry”, he disclosed.
Inadequate budgetary allocation to the Ministry
In the Committee’s report, it was noted that the usual low budgetary allocations to the Ministry and its Agencies continue to hamper its operations.
The Committee pointed out that despite the numerous concerns highlighted by the Committee year in and year out on funding challenges, the situation has remained the same for 2018.
Due to inadequate budgetary allocation, the Committee informed the Finance Ministry to find additional resources to augment the allocation of the Ministry.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
